Sydney's attempts to trade suspended star Nick Blakey have run into a significant obstacle, according to Nine.com.au, as rival clubs circle during the AFL's trade period. The report, published on Thursday, describes an "ugly sticking point" in the Swans' efforts to offload the defender.
St Kilda has signalled it is prepared to go all-in on Blakey, with Tom Morris reporting that the Saints would offer three first-round picks for him. St Kilda holds picks eight and 14 in this year's draft.
However, Blakey appears to favour a move to North Melbourne, and St Kilda has reportedly never ranked highly in his preferred destinations.
Why it matters
The Blakey saga sits at the centre of a trade period that has already produced several complications for clubs and the league itself. For Sydney, moving a suspended player of Blakey's profile is a delicate exercise, and the club's asking price will shape what it can rebuild with. For St Kilda, a three-first-round-pick offer represents a major commitment of draft capital, while North Melbourne's position as Blakey's apparent preference gives the Kangaroos leverage in any negotiation. The outcome will also influence how other deals cascade through the coming days.
A seven-team mega trade is unravelling
The Blakey situation is unfolding alongside a much larger proposed deal that now appears close to collapse. According to Nine.com.au, a floated seven-team mega trade is reportedly near being scrapped and reworked from scratch.
The deal was reported to involve the Western Bulldogs, Port Adelaide, Carlton, Richmond, Melbourne, North Melbourne and Hawthorn. It would have given Port additional picks in connection with Zak Butters' departure and moved players including Zane Duursma, Finn Maginness and Hudson O'Keeffe to new clubs.
North Melbourne reportedly withdrew from the arrangement late on Wednesday, and the AFL is said to be unhappy with the structure. The league reportedly views it as an elaborate attempt by the Bulldogs and Port to work around rules governing trade evenness, and is unlikely to approve it in its current form.
The timing is awkward: the Bulldogs must lodge Butters' paperwork on Thursday, and part of that lodgement needs to include a detailed year-by-year breakdown of his earnings, which cannot be altered afterwards.
Collingwood and Richmond at odds over Short
Elsewhere, Collingwood is refusing to include pick 28 in trade discussions with Richmond for Jayden Short, according to Nine.com.au. Short is contracted to the Tigers for two more seasons and wants to join the Magpies, but the two clubs have not reached agreement.
Kane Cornes told Trade Radio that he believes Collingwood should meet the asking price. Cornes said he rates Short and thinks he would perform well at the club, adding that he would give up pick 28 to complete the deal and questioning what the pick ultimately means for the Magpies.
Carlton's Whitfield pursuit stalls over GWS demand
Carlton's attempt to land GWS defender Lachie Whitfield has also hit a wall. Journalist Sam Edmund told Trade Radio that it was Greater Western Sydney, not the Blues, that first approached rival clubs about moving Whitfield.
Edmund said Whitfield does want to leave, but that what Carlton is currently offering does not match what the Giants will accept. GWS is holding out for a top-20 pick for the 32-year-old, while Carlton has been unwilling to give up anything beyond pick 23.
The Blues' reluctance is tied to their need to preserve first-round selections for father-son prospect Cody Walker.
Adelaide's quiet period draws scrutiny
Adelaide has been largely absent from this year's trade activity, according to Nine.com.au. The Crows missed out on Zac Bailey and have lost key defender Jordon Butts to the Western Bulldogs, with Nick Murray potentially heading to North Melbourne. No players have arrived at the club.
Taylor Walker has retired and Luke Pedlar is leaving, leaving coach Matthew Nicks entering the final year of his contract without new additions. Cornes told Trade Radio that Nicks would be justified in asking for more support, saying the coach has limited resources to work with.
Other movements to watch
Hawthorn's Aidan Schubert is set to join Gold Coast, and reports overnight suggested small forward Sam Butler could be included in the same trade, with the pair potentially travelling to Coolangatta together.
Brisbane has lost Lachie Neale and several fringe players but is largely returning the side that won the premiership, retaining the core of its three-peat unit. Levi Ashcroft is expected to take on a larger midfield role in Neale's absence, while top draftee Daniel Annable is one to monitor.
Carlton's prospects for 2027 depend on whether it can sustain the form it showed in the second half of the season under Josh Fraser. The club could add three useful players to its best side, including top draftee Cody Walker, despite delisting a dozen players.
The next 24 hours will determine whether the Bulldogs can lodge Butters' paperwork without the mega trade, and whether St Kilda's three-pick offer is enough to shift Sydney's position on Blakey.
